Slice the pepper into strips and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the garlic to a little olive oil and brush it lightly over the top of the bread slices. Toast the bread under the broileror in a toaster oven until it begins to crisp. Remove from the heat and brush with the mustard. Place a few asrugula leaves and half the peppers on each slice, then cover with the cheese. Broil ot toast until the cheese is just melted. Sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.

I love to buy chickens from Lily’s at the Goleta and Santa Barbara’s farmer’s markets because they are delicious, local, and free-range. This recipe comes to us from “The Herb Farm Cookbook” by Jerry Traunfeld– a great resource when cooking with herbs.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 fresh savory (or rosemary, sage, marjoram, oregano, or thyme)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 chicken (3 1/2 – 4 lbs) cut into 8 serving pieces without the back

Directions

Marinade. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mustard, chopped savory, lemon juice, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in this marinade until thoroughly coasted. Refrigerate covered for 1 to 2 hours.

Grilling the chicken. Start a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium. If you are using a charcoal kettle grill, when the coals are ashed over and glowing, put the grill in rack position, and quickly arrange the chicken on the rack. Cover. If using a gas grill, arrange the chicken on the grill when it is preheated and cover. Tend the chicken carefully, lifting the lid and checking it every 3 to 5 minutes. Move the chicken away from hot spots as they become apparent and don’t let it blacken. Cook the chicken covered for 10 to 15 minutes on each side. The breast will be done first–remove them from the grill when they feel firm to the touch and when no pink is visible when you cut into the thickest part with a paring knife. Continue to cook the legs and wings until they are cooked through. The flesh at the base of the drumsticks will shrink to expose the bone, and when you poke the thigh with a fork, the juices that run out will be clear.

On Saturday morning we offered our first canning class of the season. Participants learned to make strawberry jam and pickled asparagus. If you want to learn to preserve fruits and vegetables, join our “Intro to Canning Class” on July 24th. See our website for details at http://www.fairviewgardens.org/classes_classes.html

Preparing ingredients for Pickled Asparagus. Photo: L. Camp.

Three generations of students! Photo: L. Camp

Pickled Asparagus with lemon. Photo: L. Camp

May 2010 Canning Class. Photo: L. Camp

Recipe for Pickled Beets

10 pounds fresh small beets, stems removed

2 cups cane sugar

1 tablespoon pickling salt

1 quart white or apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon cloves

Directions

Option 1: Make refrigerator pickles by following the recipe, but skip the jar sterilization and boiling water bath. Store the pickles in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Option 2: Can pickled beets in a boiling water bath. Store in pantry for up to 1 year.

Place beets in a large stockpot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 30 minutes depending on the size of the beets. If beets are large, cut them into quarters. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the beet water, cool and peel.

Sterilize jars and lids by immersing in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Fill each jar with beets and add several whole cloves to each jar.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars, and seal lids.

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

Today I cooked sprouted garbanzo burgers, and wanted a simple accompaniment to complete the meal. With a little bit of miso, our weekly CSA share turned into a great soup. Serves 2-4.

Ingredients

3 cups of water2 leeks, chopped and rinsed1/2 bunch of kale, chopped an rinsed1/4 cup of misoHere are some other nice things to add, if you have them on hand:1/2 cup mushrooms, rinsed and sliced2 bulbs of green garlic1/2 cup cabbage1 head of bok choy2 carrots1/2 head of cauliflower1 cup of rice noodlesDirections

Bring water to boil. Turn heat to low and add the vegetables. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.

While the vegetables cook, shake the miso in a jar with 1/4 cup of water. Then add it to soup. Do not boil miso, or you will kill off its beneficial enzymes. Enjoy.

What a great, simple recipe! You can cook the sauce is the amount of time water takes to boil. The secret to this recipe is buying a hunk of great Parmesan and grating it yourself. Let me know what you think.

Remove greens from kohlrabi and set aside. Cut off roots and tops of kohlrabi and trim off fibrous outer layer. Slice into 1/4-inch slices or cube into 1/2-inch pieces. Wash greens. Remove stems using a knife to make v-cuts in the leaves. Stack several leaves together, roll like a cigar, and thinly slice into strips 1/8- to 1/4-inch wide. Repeat.

In a large pan heat 4 quarts water to a boil. Add leaves. Test for tenderness and bitterness. Cook until leaves are on the verge of losing their bright green color. Remove and drain.

In a large sauté pan, heat butter or oil. Sauté garlic and onion for 2 minutes. Remove garlic and onions from pan and set aside. Add 3 cups stock to pan, bring to a low boil. Add kohlrabi bulb pieces. Cook until tender crisp.

Remove kohlrabi from pan. Remove 1 cup stock and into it stir the flour. Add the flour and stock mixture back to the sauté pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir to prevent lumps. Add reserved garlic, onion, kohlrabi, and kohlrabi leaves to the sauté pan. Coat with sauce. Add 1/2 to 1 cup more stock if mixture is too dry. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a greased 2-3 quart dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake until cheese is brown, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Fairview Gardens is now delivering CSA shares to a convenient downtown location the Wheelhouse on the corner of Cota & Anacapa and Kunin Winery 28 Anancapa.

Please tell your friends!

For $22 per week, you can get local, certified organic produce delivered right downtown. The produce will be harvested that day for you- so you know you are getting the freshest food available. Your health will improve as you begin to eat seasonally.

Sign up any time! Prices get prorated for you, depending on when you sign up for the program.

Pick up Times: 4-6:30 pm on Thursday afternoons.

HOW TO SIGN UP: Call 805.967.7369 You can also mail a check to our office at 598 N Fairview Ave, Goleta, CA, 93117 (Please include your name, email, address, and phone number with the check).